Leveling rod and range pole



April 1944. H. w. FATKlN LEVELING ROD AND RANGE POLE Filed June 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l :Ill IJllll April 1944. H. w. FATKIN LEVELING ROD AND RANGE POLE Filed June 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [any GD.

Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED; STATES PATENT mm 2,346,479 LEVELING ROD AND RANGE rout Harry w. Fatkin, Westville, N. .L, assignor to Warren-Knight Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 15, 1943, Serial No. 490,857

4 Claims.

This invention relates to leveling rods and range poles, that is to say apparatus adapted to be used by surveyors and the like in connection with SUI-.- veying instruments for the purposes for which leveling rods and range poles are usually employed.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which will combine the usefulness of a leveling rod and a range pole, and which may be readily dismantled into compact form for transportation.

' A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character aforesaid by means of which the operations of the surveyor will be considerably simplified, and that the readings and notes necessary in connection therewith will be more direct.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character aforesaid which may be carried in a dismantled condition, but which may be readily and expeditiously set up at the place where it is desired to use the same.

A further object of theinvention is to provide, as a portion of the apparatus, an improved form of range pole in which the coloring will be permanent in character, and which is so constructed and arranged that the same may be readily dismantled, and which may be assembled in various lengths and arrangements as may be required.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which;

Figure'l is a front elevation of apparatus of my present invention in'its assembled or set up condition ready for use;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the same being shown in the condition in which the parts are brought together for carrying the same when they are dismantled from the pole or rod on which they are mounted for use.

Fig. fl is a rear elevation of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top or plan view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the sections of a-brea-kdown pole or rod upon which the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 to 5 is adapted to'be mounted as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing another section of the pole of 'a contrasting color;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 lllustrating. .a

form of the lowermost section of the pole or rod,

adaptable for use in certain conditions, as for example when the assembled rod is used principally as a range pole; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view of a modified form of pointed section for use atthe lower end of the pole or rod.

It should, of-course, be u derstood that the description and'drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the rod or pole is preferably made of a plurality of sections,each of a uniform length, asforexample, one foot. Preferably, there will be provided an equal number of such sections IU, of one color, usually white, and an equal number of such sections Hjof a contrasting color, say' red;

Each of said sections is provided at one end with a central recess l2 internally threaded, and at the other end with a complementally threaded teat I3, the arrangement being such that the threaded teat I3 ofany section may be threaded into the recess I2 at the end of another section and the pole thus assembled. The several sections [0 and II of the pole are preferably made of one of the modern plastic materials so that the color will be permanent, and no repainting of the pole or rod will be necessary as is now required from time to time with the range poles at present in common use.

It will also be seen that any desired number of sections, within practical limits, may be used and the pole thereby lengthened or shortened as may suit the purposes of the user.

The several sections of the pole may be made solid, and the threaded recess and teat at the respective ends of each section may be molded as integral parts thereof. However, if preferred, thesections may be made hollow with inserted threaded portions at the ends.

When it is desired to use the rod or pole primarily as a, range pole, the lowermost section may be made as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, that is to say, instead of the threaded teat IS, the lower end of said section l4 maybeprovided with a recess l5, internally threaded, and into which threaded recess [5 there may be mounted a. complementally threaded point member I6, which may be made of hardened steel, or if desired the samevmay also be made of plastic material, but in any event the point member I6 is readily renewable when worn or damaged.

Also, if desired, the lowermost section of the the pole or rod in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

This attachment comprises three portions, to wit,

and alower portionC. s

The intermediate portion B bi the measuring.

' an upper portion A, an intermediateportio'n B,

attachment comprises a sleeve 28, which is adapt-' 1 ed to be mounted on the assembled pole or rod hereinbefore described and to be clamped "thereto at desired locations by means of the thumb screw 2|. ,The sleeve is provided on its front portion withlugs 22,,.which support a plate 2.3 to which the central portionp a t'ape 24 .is 'secured, by screws 21, or any other preferred means.

. The rear portionof the sleeve 20 is also provided with a longitudinally extending lug $25 which serves as a seat for the support of a bar member 26 which issecured thereto. and which will be hereinafter 'furtherreferred to.

The upper and lower portions Aand 0 respectively of the measuring attachment are substantially alike. Each of said portions comprises a sleeve 30, mounted inalinement with the sleeve 20 oi the portion The; sleeve 3!] isalso provided with athumb screw sl, which serves to sec e sleeve 3;! at any desired position onv the e se lea I s r On the front side of the sleeve 36 there is also provided a lug 32 which serves to support a, housmeee- With-in, the u ia ea he i tab wante a d m u oaw ic e ta 24 i adapted to'b? w und-and o e u w d therefrom, Preferably the 34 isnormally under t ten n f a. e led le s r .5 w i h p m te h unwind n Q the t pe 24 rom the um whe the or ns A and pf th me s rin taehment a ounted at h ar ctiv e ds o he pole shown n F s. ;.a d. 2 o th dra nss; a d also rving, normally o k ep the tap 24 und r a proper de ree of nsion when the p ts :A and C are in their separated operative positions.

The b rmem er fi. which is-s eured to th e v -25 of the portion 113 is provided at end with an e ion 3. h vuieai e eaded slo 37 rou w c the sha k-er he-thumb s rew. 3 e t nds. t e a ran ment bei e su h th t when the measuring attachment is mounted on the pole or rod, and the, thumb screws tare loosened, the sleeves ,30 of portions A an may be moved'away from the sleeve .26 of portion 3, but when'the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bar member will serve to maintain thesleeves 31] of p rtions A .arid C, land the sleeve 2'8 oi the portion B, fin'alinernent withv each other to facilitate the mounting of the'measing attachment "on the pole 'or rod.

It will benotedthatthe"thumb screws 3!" are somewhat shorter than 'thethumb screw'2f1, and thereby permit the clamping of the-sleeves fifl of the portionsA' and C to the slotted en'd portions of the bar member 26- as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, yet permitting the sleeves door the portions A and C to clamped at extended locations on. the pole or red as'sho'wn in F'igs- 1 and 2 of the drawings. u

The tape 24 is preferably made of a strip of steel or other relatively non-stretchable material and graduated on one face in any desired manner. Preferably the graduations would start at 0 in the center of the tape, and marked in each direction from said center, thus permitting direct reading of cut and fill from the instrument.

It will be readily seen that the pole or rod may be made of any desired length, Within practical limits, and in the use of the same the intermediate portion B of the measuring attachment may be raised or lowered on the rod and secured thereon at any desired location, thus greatly "facilitating the taking of the measurements in theru'nning ofxa level line.

When the apparatus is in the collapsed condition for carrying the same, and it is desired to use the same, the several sections of the rod or pole arefirst joined to each other, usually with the differently colored sections alternately disposed, the sections being joined by threading the teat l3 of one section .into the recess 12 of another section.

The measuring attachment as illustrated in,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may then be slid on'the rod and the thumb screws 3 I, which secure the sleeves 30 of the end portions A and C to the bar member 2%, are loosened and the end sections A and C are then moved on the rod to the desired locations, usually near the respective ends of the rod, and then secured in such locations by tightening the thumb screws 3i.

It will be seen that, by the use of the foregoing apparatus, the surveyors operations in running levels will be greatly facilitated, and the apparatus may be readily carried from place to place notwithstanding that rods of more than ordinary length may be employed. Furthermore the rod may be used as a range pole without the measuring attachment, and said rod will be of a more durable and lasting character than the poles at present in common use.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use by surveyors and the like clamped when the measuring attachment is re-:

moved from the rod.

2'. Apparatus for use .by surveyors and the like comprising a rod or pole, and a measuring attachment mounted thereon, said measuring attachment including a measuring tape and comprising three separable ,portions each including a sleeve for slidably mounting the same on the rod, means in. each of said sleeves for clamping the same to the rodythe intermediate portion having means for securing the central part of the measuring tape, and each end portion having a housing in which one end of said tape is wound, the intermediate portion having a bar member.

secured thereto, said bar member having extending end portions to which the end portions of the measuring attachment are adapted to be clamped when the measuring attachment is removed from the rod. I :3. Apparatus for :use by surve and the-like comprising a rod or pole, and a measuring attachment mounted thereon, said measuring attachment including a measuring tap and comprising three separable portions each including a sleeve for slidably mounting the same on the rod, a clamping screw mounted in each of said sleeves, the intermediate portion having means for securing the central part of the measuring tape, and each end portion having a housing in which one end of said tape is wound, the intermediate portion having a bar member secured thereto, said bar member having extending end portions each having an open ended slot adapted to receive the shank of the clamping screw of one of the end portions of the measuring attachment thereby to permit the end portions to be clamped to the bar member when the measuring attachment is removed from the rod.

4. Apparatus for use by surveyors and the like comprising a rod or pole made of separable sections, and a measuring attachment mounted thereon, said measuring attachment including a measuring tape and comprising three separable portions each including a sleeve for slidably mounting the same on predetermined sections of the rod, a clamping screw mounted in each of said sleeves, the intermediate portion having means for securing the central part of the measuring tape, and each end portion having a housing in which one end of said tape is wound, tension members in said housing connected to said tape, the intermediate portion having a bar member secured thereto, said bar member having extending end portions each having an open ended slot adapted to receive the shank of the clamping screw of one of the end portions of the measuring attachment thereby to permit the end portions to be clamped to the bar member when the measuring attachment is removed from the rod.

HARRY W. FATKIN. 

